AIBU to hoard Douwe Egberts jars?

[CoalTitCafe]

Just in case I need them for something?

They're so nice.

They have been converted into vases, pen jars, food storage jars on my open shelves, a spatula jar, a washing pods jar, a bath salts display jar... I use one as a giant glass of water as well!

A fair few empty ones are currently cluttering up my cupboard and DP is on the warpath to throw them away.

What else can I use the jars for to save them from the recycling bin this Friday?!

We have used them to make our own candles before. Last year we made some into little terrariums for succulents and in others we planted hyacinth bulbs as a 'grown your own' gift. We layered them with different gravels, so it wasn't just a jar of dirt!
We use them on our kitchen windowsill in spring as mini greenhouses for herbs.

We have them in 4 different sizes and use them to store all our grains and spices etc.
They are great!

@ChicCroissant

They are brilliant jars - I need to check my stash in the cupboard and repurpose some of them.

I have one OK jar (bought reduced price) and that's for caffeine-free (ground) coffee. I have got some chalkboard labels to put on the other jars.

I also use the chalkboard labels 👍

How do you get rid of the coffee smell from the lid? I have one of these saved but feel like I can still smell it. I want to keep food items in there and I don't want the coffee smell to taint whatever I store inside. Is there any way of removing the plastic seal bit in the lid? I washed it all out and noticed there was condensation inside the lid, so it must not be properly sealed.

I know I sound like I've given a jar way too much thought. I have. I've been meaning to google how to get the smell out for ages but now I've found the experts

People go nuts for these!

I put 2 Orla Kiely ones on eBay with a 99p starting price. Sold for £61.33

£61. For old coffee jars.

£61?!

I mean, I was thrilled but also incredibly baffled!

A friend used them to create table centrepieces for her wedding. She’s really crafty and made everything herself. It looked wondrous!

You’re all mad. I would nev...ooh! Giant ones, you say?

My firstworld annoyance is that you can get refills for the coffee, so i hardly ever have empties, but not for the decaf which are a bit too small to be useful.

I have a Pinterest page for jar recycling! I use mine for tea bags (that feels wrong!), storing yeast for bread making, crafts storage, stock cubes - all sorts.
I haven’t seen the Orla Kiely ones and now I feel I have been let down!

I’m not as posh as you guys. I prefer the fridge pack plastic baked beans jars! Not as heavy and perfect for rice etc!

I saved my coffee jars for years! Must have ended up with about 30. I used them at my wedding as a pick and mix stand. Then I re used them in my pantry, bought some chalkboard labels and filled them with things like rice and lentils etc! I made one into a vase. I have 2 Orla Kiely ones (runs to check ebay) I also have a big collection of GU pots, pringle tops fit on them perfectly! Not sure what to store in them yet!

Every day I am grateful to the person who placed two empty DW jars next to the recycling bin. I snapped them up, and use them to store (Taylors Lazy Sunday) ground coffee in. I love the look of the giant jar, I might buy the coffee just to get the jar.

Another time, I found half a dozen empty 5l water bottles, which I cut the bottom off and made into mini-greenhouses on the allotment.

I once started a thread about buying things purely for the packaging!

@tripleripples

How do you get rid of the coffee smell from the lid? I have one of these saved but feel like I can still smell it. I want to keep food items in there and I don't want the coffee smell to taint whatever I store inside. Is there any way of removing the plastic seal bit in the lid? I washed it all out and noticed there was condensation inside the lid, so it must not be properly sealed.

I know I sound like I've given a jar way too much thought. I have. I've been meaning to google how to get the smell out for ages but now I've found the experts

Yes, the plastic seal can be removed, it's sometimes a bit tricky but I wedge a spoon under and lever round it. I put labels/items in the lids to show what's in the jars (and clearly have given this way too much thought)

Has anyone found a use for the shallow terracotta dishes that come from Sainsbury with tapas / fish mornay starters in?

They are handy for serving odds and ends, but they are starting to bulge out from my under stairs cupboard.

What were the Orla Kiely ones? Were they sold as limited edition a while ago or something? Or does someone decorate them?

Here's one of the orla keily ones

I like the jars more than the coffee, the jar that contains instant coffee is actually filled with Tesco Gold instant coffee which I prefer.

@bestbefore wow lovely 😊

Newton can you get the teabags out of the jar easily? I have thought about repurposing some of my jars for that but I've never tried to get my hand in one, only a spoon.

I will dig out my labels this afternoon and go for it!

I have hundreds (ok, slight exaggeration) of these jars. I love them! Small ones with spices etc, larger ones with couscous, rice, pasta, sugar etc. I also keep bonne mamon jars..so cute with the gingham lid and GU ramekins (those drive my partner mad and he recently cleared loads of them out) ☹️

Little tapas dishes ideal to stand flowerpots in.

Now, about the tins I can't throw out...

I also keep large gherkin jars, nescafe jars etc. When I get too many to use myself, I advertise them for free on olio, freecycle or nextdoor. I always ask people why they use them for and here are the replies:

• kombucha
• tea lights at halloween
• storing pulses/seeds
• vases as table centrepieces
• for making plant rooting hormone from willow branches!
• pickled onions

Just a small selection shown here...

Terrariums!!

I sent DS to university with two huge jars like those full of sugar and salt. Three years later (miraculously, maybe because they’re so heavy nobody lifts them) they’re still in use by everyone in his shared kitchen. I like to think I helped foster group spirit.
I also sent him off with loads of Nutella (jars)
drinking glasses and lids .
They look good for holding jumbled together coloured tea lights or maybe as a mini terrarium (a project that’s been at the back of my mind for a while.